Government pledges £5 million for Edinburgh fire recovery

The Scottish government has announced up to 5 million pounds in funding to support Edinburgh's recovery from a major fire that has kept a key city center street closed for nearly a month. Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth confirmed the financial package on August 5 during a visit to the site of the blaze at the former Debenhams store on Princes Street, which broke out on July 9.

The funding will be administered by the City of Edinburgh Council and is intended to cover several areas of need. These include costs associated with securing the fire-damaged building and making it safe, supporting businesses impacted by reduced footfall and transport disruption, and assisting festival operators who were forced to relocate events at short notice. Specific allocations will also support a public communications campaign to encourage travel around the city, help mitigate financial impacts on Edinburgh Trams, and fund temporary improvements to the appearance of vacant units on Princes Street.

Council Leader Jane Meagher welcomed the announcement as a significant step in the city's recovery but expressed disappointment over the time it took to secure the support, comparing it to a faster...